Do you suspect you have an infestation of carpet beetles in your home? Read this blog to learn how to get rid of carpet beetles effectively.
The so-called carpet beetles are prevalent household pests that feast on natural fabrics, not only from carpets but also from clothes, rugs, furniture, blankets, pillows, and more. Dealing with this type of pests could be challenging because it’s not always easy to identify them.
Find out some significant warning signs to know if you are dealing with a carpet beetle infestation and how to get rid of it, whether you choose to do it naturally or with the help of commercial pest control solutions.
Signs of Carpet Beetle Presence or Infestation in Your Home
You need to know which type of pest you are dealing with and locate them immediately to destroy the infestation source.
Carpet beetles typically look like ladybugs or bed bugs. There are different carpet beetles, but the most common ones are yellow and white.
Generally, adult carpet beetles can enter through windows, doors, holes, or a plant or flower you bring inside. They lay eggs on the carpet and furniture and clothes.
Being so small, it’s not easy to discover them. For that reason, we first tell you some signs that you may have carpet beetles at home.
You may have identified signs of damage in your carpet, furniture, rugs, pillows, blankets, and clothing. Also, you could be experiencing allergic reactions and dermatitis due to contaminated food by carpet beetles.
When dealing with an infestation, you probably start to notice dead skin and fecal pellets. Ultimately, you can also note some tiny beetles walking on the carpet, furniture, and curtains. You could also find some hidden larvae.
How to Get Rid Of Carpet Beetles – Two Approaches
There may be multiple solutions for rid of carpet beetles, but we will focus on the most used ones which are: commercial solutions and natural ones.
Chemical Solutions
Boric acid is one of the most popular solutions to kill carpet beetles. As these infestations are everywhere, you could also find a wide variety of commercial solutions available in the market. You would have to visit a pest control store to search for them.
If you are using this option, you must read the application instructions. When this is not applied correctly, it can become potentially harmful to your carpet and house areas and your kids and pets.
The general recipe is to mix one tablespoon of boric acid in hot water. Use a spray bottle to apply it to your carpet. It will attach to the adult bug’s body and kill it. It will also eliminate beetles, larvae and eggs, and probably any other insect pest on your carpet.
Pheromone traps: These baits lure the adults with special, sexual odors, attracting them to the glue from which they cannot escape. This method will decrease the number of active adults, which, in turn, will reduce the risk of future infestations elsewhere in the building.
Diatomite and Aero silica gel: Those substances, known as triggers, cause insects to lose their moisture and, in small amounts, they are relatively harmless to humans.
Also, you can use permethrin; this product is relatively safe and is recommended for mild infestations.
Natural Solution
One of the most popular ways to naturally get rid of carpet beetles is using white or apple cider vinegar. Prepare a mix with hot water and spray your furniture and other areas you suspect could have been affected by carpet beetles.
The primary advantage of apple cider vinegar over boric acid is that it is safe to spray the solution around your house. However, the vinegar smell can also irritate you.
Spraying your house interiors could be enough; however, you could also scrub them on the carpet surface. Vinegar repels and kills carpet beetles effectively.
Tips to Avoid a Future Carpet Beetle Infestation
Regular deep cleaning will help you avoid the spread of carpet beetles. Remember to clean every corner and window. By vacuuming, you can also reduce the food sources of other types of pests.
Another tip is to perform regular cleaning in the chimney, which is also a source of external factors entering your house.
Wash your clothing to remove adults, larvae, eggs or pupae. Be sure to throw away badly infested items.
Remove dead insects and rodents.
Carpet beetles feed on animal waste, including animal droppings and carcasses, so be sure to inspect for dead insects, especially around windowsills, and control any rodent populations in your home. Avoid poisonous baits, as a dying mouse may be found faster by beetles than by you.
If you suspect you have carpet beetles in furniture, pillow, and clothes. Consider solutions such as steam cleaning or even washing them. Storing your winter cloth in plastic bags or containers can also help.
Why beetles are a problem?
Some beetles, such as carpet beetles, can damage fabrics, clothing, and furniture. Other species – such as the Japanese beetle – can cause considerable damage to vegetation, as they feed on leaves, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and crops.
You can find a variety of weevil species, including flour weevils, serrated grain weevils, and rice weevils, eating in your kitchen and living in many stored grains and pantry foods.
Others are a nuisance when you see them walking on floors or around foundations. All pests should be alerted whether they are found in the carpet or anywhere else in the house. They not only damage the aesthetics of our home but also harm the health of the family and even your pets.
Get Professional Assistance
The last option, and probably the most effective, is to hire pest control services and replace your carpet. If you require a new carpet installation in Dundalk, MD, contact us.
At JG Carpet Contractors we specialize in providing quality services. Attention to detail is our greatest skill, we prioritize always giving personalized attention to each of our clients.
We have a highly specialized team and ultimate technology that help us to provide 100% quality in all of our work. Contact us and start your carpet project with the highest quality you deserve!